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Monitoring Stem Cell Research 
Second, by basing his policy in part on moral considerations, the 
President did not violate an obligation to keep morals out of politics, 
because funding decisions, whichever way they go, typically and 
unavoidably contain a moral component. Indeed, the moral 
component often lies at the heart of the dispute and at the core of the 
decision. 
Third, by refusing to seek a blanket prohibition on an activity from 
which he withheld funding on moral grounds, the President did not 
make an incoherent decision. The complexities of a free society 
frequently create situations in which it makes sense for government 
to express doubt, anxiety or disapproval for an activity it is unwilling 
or unable to outlaw. 
None of this is to deny that the president’s policy on stem cell 
research is open to criticism on the merits. It is only to claim that the 
policy reflects a perfectly appropriate exercise of governmental 
powers in a liberal democracy. 
PRE -PUBLICATION VERISON 
